10/10/2019
PRESS RELEASE:
AN URGENT APPEAL TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, AND THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF INEC TO SEE TO THE IMMEDIATE SANCTIONING OF THE BAYELSA STATE RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER OF THE INEC PASTOR MONDAY TOM UDOM.
A CALL FOR POLITICAL NEUTRALITY BY INEC AND ITS STAFF IN THE FORTH COMING NOVEMBER 16TH GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN BAYELSA STATE.
Following careful observations of the electoral process in the state, especially of the build up and results of last general election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), our organisation, the Pan-Ijaw Development Youth Alliance (PIDYA) together with a host of like minded bodies with the aid of selected journalists led investigations into the activities of political parties and the Electoral umpire, as an organization poised for good governance, we have been pushed by conscience to take very determined steps to avoid repeat of those sinister situations observed during the National/State House of Assembly elections in Bayelsa State. More so, inspired by the pursuit of a truly Democratic and people oriented leadership, we come out bold with verifiable facts to ensure that a single man does not leverage on his position to impose candidates through the back door on Bayelsans come November 16, 2019, when Bayelsa state heads to the polls to elect it's next governor.
Our primary concern is the person of Pst.Udom the INEC's Resident Electoral Officer (REC) in Bayelsa state. Investigations have led us to uncover the dirty work Pst.Udom has been commissioned to perform for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state. We have it on a good authority that the State REC was personally procured and sent to Bayelsa state about 6months ago, to do the biddings of the leader of the APC in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, and particularly for the Nov. 16 Gubernatorial Elections. To exhibit his readiness to play the ball with the APC, Pst.Udom had successfully used his position as REC to thwart election results and processes in favour of the APC in Brass, Nembe and Southern-Ijaw LGAs.
We have it on good record that a certain lady by name Mrs. Doris, who was an Assistant Electoral Officer (AEO) in Brass was drafted into the game plan of the REC during the last National Assembly Elections, and she was used at that time to upturn election results verified by her superior Officer the then EO. Mrs.Doris who was then an AEO of level 14 superimposed herself on an EO of level 15 against the Public service rules just because of the financial, official and moral backing of Pst.Udom and his paymasters.
This abuse of laid down protocol gave rise to the ridiculous situation where the PDP candidate who won 28 out of 36 wards lost an election to the APC candidate that won just 7wards under the controversial circumstances. From investigations also, we are aware and have presentable evidence that the self acclaimed Pst.Udom the state INEC REC is having very intimate extramarital affair with the said Doris who he has aided with resources from the APC strongmen, to the recent and sudden promotion of Mrs Doris to Electoral Officer (EO) of level 15 against the clear directive of the Human Resources Department of the INEC Headquarters, to be stationed in Brass LGA is a clear pointer to the fact that they want to continue playing the script of their paymasters and the rig the Nov.16th Governorship Elections of the APC.
We also have it on good authority that in preparation for his role play in the forthcoming Bayelsa state gubernatorial election, Pst.Udom was recently gifted 2 brand new Lexus Jeeps and a promise of Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000) together with an Oil Lifting Licence by the Minister of State for Petroleum and leader of the APC in Bayelsa state, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva, if things go as planned and Mike is able to deliver Bayelsa state to the APC, also careful investigations have also led us to discover that the State INEC REC was recently included in the monthly pay roll of the factional candidate of the APC and Sylva's stooge Chief David Lyon, we have it on good record that David Lyon has committed to paying Pst.Udom the monthly sum of $20,000 to keep the REC doing the bidding of Chief Sylva and his faction of the APC.
To further prepare the ground for a systemic grand invasion of the electoral processes in November, Pst.Udom who have being boasting openly in different fodas that he would deliver Bayelsa state to the APC and the sky would not fall, has started giving life to his words by assigning and reassigning EOs and AEOs against their wishes and without official deployment by the head Human Resources Department of the INEC. One of such ready case in hand is the case of one Miss Blessing who was originally deployed to serve as the EO of Kolokuma/Opukuma LGA by INEC Headquarters is now being mounted pressure to be redeployed to Sagbama LGA for the strategic convenience of the state REC.
In addition, Pst.Udom has begun calling private and individual meetings with the different EOs and AEOs across the state assessing their readiness to work in tandem with his game plan (these meetings are not the regular board or supervisory meetings) but meetings held with individual EO's or AEO's promising them bliss of affluence if they cooperate with him and his financiers, we have gathered that Udom cajoles his subordinates with statements like " this is your time to make it big", "if you are smart after this election, you are saying goodbye to poverty", " it is not this your small small INEC salary that would make you rich...and etc.
However, we and indeed a very many Bayelsans who know, are not surprised by these facts and the records of Pst.Monday Udom, because, apart from the fact that he was personally procured to the state by the Minister of state for Petroleum, Udom sees himself also as a brother-in-law of the former governor Sylva coming from the same state as SYLVA's wife. It is also a known fact that Pst.Udom is a card carrying member of the APC in Akwa-Ibom state, the same reason he was redeployed after series of concerted protests and petitions against him by a number of political parties in that State.
We therefore call on the National Chairman of INEC, Prof.Yakubu, also on Barr. May Agbamishe the Head of the Human Resources Department of the INEC to step in urgently to either redeploy Pst.Monday Tom Udom from Bayelsa state, or bring him to act in conformity with the provisions of the electoral Act, and other sundry rules and guidelines of the INEC, we must promise not as a threat, but flowing from the resolve of Ijaw people that if Udom does not stop forthright with his little games, and tries to subvert the will of Bayelsans as expressed on election day by their thumbs, Pst.Udom and his cohorts are better start making preparations to leave the state in body bags, as Ijaw people have never being conquered or intimidated out of their will, Bayelsans will rise up against him and no one may be able to guarantee his peace if an attempt is made to subvert the will of Bayelsans.
As evidenced in the countless number of endorsements, mammoth crowed witnessed at the official flag off of the PDP's gubernatorial campaigns it is already clear that the PDP is the only party on ground with the required mechanism, structure and blue print to win an election in Bayelsa state, anything short of a PDP victory in November is an aberration of the people's will and Bayelsans would rise to forestall such.
We can assure that every Bayelsan is aware that under the existing laws, appointment, deployment, and deployment of Electoral Officers and Assistant Electoral Officers at INEC, is the sole responsibility of the Human Resources Department of the Commission, and a REC has no business acting otherwise.
We therefore as peace loving citizens of this country in the quest for good governance, fairness and an assurance of meaningful development call on President Muhammadu Buhari President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector General of the Nigerian Police Force, the various Anti-Graft Agencies and Code of Conduct Bureau to cause an urgent investigation into our allegations against the person of Pst.Monday Udpm, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the INEC in Bayelsa state, as he has perfected plans to cage Bayelsan voters in the forthcoming governorship election in the state. Also we invite the EFCC and such other relevant anti-corruption agencies to leaf investigations into the sudden wealth of Pst.Udom barely 6months of his redeployment to Bayelsa state, Udom must be investigated for abuse of office, fraudulent enrichment, procurement of Electoral violence, we plead that while these investigations are under way to make for an equitable, free, and credible election come November, Pst.Udom be made to step aside (even if in temporary basis) to allow for untainted investigations by the relevant bodies.
We trust the integrity of Mr. President and capacity of the Leadership of the various agencies to do justice even at such short notice.
Sign: Elder Bozimor Iselekuma Boderick.
